₹1600 Crore Hawala King Mahfooz Arrested in Kanpur After Fleeing West Bengal

In a major breakthrough, police in Kanpur have arrested alleged hawala operator Mahfooz, accused of running a massive ₹1600 crore illegal money transfer network. According to investigators, Mahfooz had been hiding in Kolkata at his in-laws’ residence before returning to Kanpur, where he was eventually caught by the police. Authorities claim the accused was the mastermind behind a large-scale hawala racket involving fake bank accounts and suspicious financial transactions.

Police revealed that the case surfaced during an investigation into a ₹24 lakh robbery reported in February 2026. During the probe, officials allegedly uncovered a huge financial network operating through accounts opened in the names of poor laborers, street vendors, and rickshaw pullers. Investigators said documents of vulnerable individuals were misused to create fake bank accounts, which were later used for illegal money transfers worth nearly ₹1600 crore over the last few years. Authorities are also examining the possible involvement of bank employees in facilitating the transactions.

Reports suggest Mahfooz remained absconding for months and was allegedly receiving political protection while hiding in West Bengal. Police sources claim he returned to Kanpur fearing stricter action after changing political circumstances in the state. Several of his associates and relatives have already been arrested, while police teams continue searching for other family members linked to the case. Officials are now investigating transactions across dozens of bank accounts and hundreds of firms connected to the alleged hawala syndicate.